Jacob (name)
Jacob is a common masculine given name of Hebrew origin. The English form is derived from the Latin Iacobus, from the Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iakobos), ultimately from the Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqōḇ), the name of Jacob, biblical patriarch of the Israelites, and a major figure in the Abrahamic religions. The name comes either from the Hebrew root עקב ʿqb meaning "to follow, to be behind" but also "to supplant, circumvent, assail, overreach", or from the word for "heel", עֲקֵב ʿaqeb. It can also be taken to mean "may God protect."
Isaac Blessing Jacob, 1638 Govert Flinck painting. | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Derived from Late Latin Jacobus, from Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iakobos), from Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿakov) |
| Meaning | "He may/will/shall follow/heed/seize by the heel/watch/guard/protect", "Supplanter/Assailant", "May God protect" |
| Region of origin | Israel |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Jakob, Jaycob |
| Short form(s) | Jack, Jake, Jay, Jakey, Coby, Jem |
| Related names | James, Jakob, Jakov, Jakub, Ya'koub, Yakub, Yakup, Ya'qoub, Kafka |
In the narrative of Genesis, it refers to the circumstances of Jacob's birth when he held on to the heel of his older twin brother Esau (Genesis 25:26). The name is etymologized (in a direct speech by the character Esau) in Genesis 27:36, adding the significance of Jacob having "supplanted" his elder brother by buying his birthright.
In a Christian context, Jacob – James in English form – is the name for several people in the New Testament: (1) the apostle James, son of Zebedee, (2) another apostle, James, son of Alphaeus, and (3) James the brother of Jesus (James the Just), who led the original Nazarene Community in Jerusalem. There are several Jacobs in the genealogy of Jesus.